Panasonic (now called Pan sonic), first came into being in the summer of 1993
through the meeting of two creative minds, Mika Vainio and Ilpo Väisänen.
Pan sonic cite as their influences, first of all, Alan Vega's and Martin Rev's
legendary proto-techno duo Suicide, industrial pioneers
Throbbing Gristle and Einstürzende Neubauten, the French 'musique concrete'
composer Pierre Henry and the eccentric cult rockabilly musician Hasil Adkins.
Their sound is, according to Vainio, increasingly moving away from the regular
4-4 techno, and is now, for example, inspired by old Jamaican dub reggae and ska.
They are not really into today's 'electronica' and its computer-driven sound,
though Pan sonic have increasingly delved into modern sampler technology as of
late. The group also has an 'extra member' called Jari Lehtinen who's responsible
for building Pan sonic's instruments with which their extraordinary humming sounds
have been created.
Pan sonic now use also samplers and a computer based sequencer, MPC2000. So they
can leave the 'fishing box' back home since it doesn't travel well. Mika says
he doesn't really know anything about computers or MIDI-based music nor does
he want to. He is very much into sounds felt by the body and the effect of
frequencies on the brain.
There is no theory for PAN SONIC. We have no plan. We just make the music.
Mika Vainio www.phinnweb.org/panasonic
